[Student on a Roof Ledge, Moscow]

Alexander Rodchenko

1932 · Gelatin silver print · Photographs

A founder of Russian Constructivism, Rodchenko embraced photography as a tool to revolutionize perception, using diagonal and unexpected vantage points to surprise the viewer into discovering the world anew. Here, he trains his lens on a student perched at the edge of a Moscow roof. If the steeply angled view aligns the work with Rodchenko’s revolutionary aesthetic, the focus on the man’s youthful body speaks to the burgeoning Soviet interest in athleticism and physical prowess. Throughout the 1930s, Rodchenko photographed gymnasts, rooftop sunbathers, and mass-sporting events.

Artist

Alexander Rodchenko

Date

1932

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Gilman Collection, Purchase, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee Gift, 2005